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Lexicon
The characters featured in the Gaunt's Ghosts stories employ several different types of jargon and colloquialisms. This page will attempt to define these terms to ease understanding by the casual reader. 1090 A Commissarial edict which allows a commissar to execute a man under his own discretion. On the battlefield, this may be for as little as advancing in the wrong direction. Activated Tactical A temporary ad-hoc unit assembled from whatever troops happen to be near to hand; for example, Activated Tactical 137 was comprised of those troopers on R.I.P. duty. The Adeptus Mechanicus To put most simply, the engineers, technicians and weapons manufacturers of the Imperium. The Adeptus Mechanicus are the most knowledgable organisation in the Imperium on the subject of technology, and they keep their secrets jealously guarded. Amasec A type of liquor locally produced on most worlds within the Imperium. It’s quality varies with the individual brewer and the ingredients used, with some types being a simple moonshine, and others being equivalent to fine brandy. Astropath Specially-trained psykers used as a living communications device by the Imperium, Astropaths can send messages over great distances instantaneously, a system which is far more effective than conventional comms devices for space-based units. Ayatani A member of the Imperial Priesthood, Ayatani preach the love of the Saint Sabbat as a representative of the Emperor. As such, their rituals and practices tend to revolve more around the Saint than the Emperor himself. Basilisk A variant on the Chimera chassis, the Basilisk mounts a large-bore artillery piece for use in a long-range support capacity. Bolter The term used for a variety of weapons which fire a small rocket-assisted explosive shell instead of a solid round. The calibre and range of these weapons varies; for example, a hand-held bolt pistol will fire a smaller round than a rifle-sized boltgun, while a crew-served heavy bolter will fire a significantly larger projectile. In rare circumstances, these shells can be fitted with customised loads, for example, acid or poisoned gas. Camo Cloak An unusual piece of equipment issued to every member of the Tanith First, the camo cloak is a long cape with hood which subtly refracts and deflects light, allowing the user to appear to blend into his or her background. Chainfist A weapon utilised exclusively by Space Marines and Chaos Space Marines, the Chainfist consists of a heavily-armoured glove surrounded by a lethal power field, and fitted with a chainsaw-like attachment. Although originally intended as a tool for penetrating ship hulls and bulkheads, it's usefulness as a close combat weapon has since been recognised. Chimera The standard personnel carrier of the Imperial Guard, it is a relatively heavily armoured tracked vehicle armed with two heavy weapons (one forward-firing in the hull, the other turret-mounted) and a lasgun array to each side of the hull rear. Daemon A creature of the warp, summoned using magic or psychic ability. These beings are incredibly powerful, and often the mere sight of them is enough to drive a man insane. Emperor The ruler of Mankind. He has been necessarily incarcerated into a life-support device named the Iron Throne for thousands of years, but is still worshiped as a god by the human race. Feth A common insult in the Imperial Guard, it’s exact translation is left up to the individual reader, but can be guessed at with some accuracy given its usual context. Flamer The Imperium's common name for a flamethrower. Forge World Planets under the control of the Adeptus Mechanicus, Forge Worlds are devoted to the large-scale manufacture of munitions for the Imperium. As a result of their vast industrial operations, they are usually comprised of chemical wastelands interspersed with enormous production facilities. Genestealer A type of deadly alien organism which is capable of subverting an entire planet's population to their will by infecting them with Genestealer DNA, which also allows the creatures to procreate. Grotesk A metal mask primarily worn by the soldiers of the Blood Pact. It is usually fashioned in a way which makes the user appear more fearsome. Guardsman A member of the Imperial Guard. Whilst this term is usually reserved for the “grunts” of the Imperial Guard, it can technically be used for any member, regardless of rank. It should also be noted that the term Guardsman applies to both male and female soldiers. Inquisitor A member of the Inquisition, an institution charged with keeping Mankind free from corruption and outside control. Their membership ranges from xenophobic zealots to philanthropic scholars, and everything in between. The major traits they have in common are their authorisation to requisition virtually any resource they need during the course of their duties, and the ability to call for the destruction of an entire world, should they deem it tainted beyond saving. Iron Warriors One of the original legions of Chaos Space Marines. Las A shortened form used for a number of laser-type weapons, for example lasrifle, lascannon, etc. Leman Russ The most commonly employed battle tank of the Imperial Guard. It is equipped with a large-bore turret-mounted battle cannon and a limited-traverse hull weapon hardpoint which can be varied to suit the mission. In addition, some tanks are upgraded with a pair of side-mounted sponsons which can be outfitted with a variety of heavy weapon options. NCO An acronym for Non-Commissioned Officer. Amongst other things, NCOs are leaders of small units such as fire teams, squads or, occasionally, platoons, and act as advisors to the lower ranks of officer. Sergeants in particular are often Guardsmen with long experience, and as such their opinions are usually listened to by their immediate superiors. In the Imperial Guard, NCOs are almost universally either corporals or sergeants. Outhab A colloquial term for the outer habitation districts of a town or city, usually consisting of a combination of domiciles and shops. Outhabs are almost exclusively civilian areas, as opposed to industrial zones, which may contain military production facilities, and are always far better protected and patrolled. P.D.F. The Imperial acronym for Planetary Defence Force; those soldiers who are assigned to defend their home planet, rather than the Imperial Guard, which are intended for the most part to fight on worlds other than their own. The PDF are generally regarded as being more poorly trained and equipped than the Guard, but this varies depending on the planet in question. Pardoner A priest of the Imperial Creed assigned to combat units, intended to be something akin to a chaplain or padre. Similar to an Ayatani, although the focus of an Ayatani is upon the Saint Sabbat as a representative of the Emperor. Promethium A type of highly combustible fluid or gel. Promethium is used for a variety of purposes, including as fuel and as ammunition for flamer weapons. Psyker An individual who displays psychic abilities. Generally regarded as heretics and witches by the Imperial populace. R.I.P. An Imperial Guard acronym which stands for “Retraining, Indoctrination, Punishment,” a unit which combines boot camp with punishment detail. Salamander A variant on the Chimera personnel carrier, the Salamander comes in Command and Scout configurations, both of which are considerably faster than the base model, but which lack a turret. In addition, the Command version is outfitted with additional radios. Scalp A term denoting either a new recruit or someone involved in punishment duties; a member of the R.I.P. detail. The term originates from recruits having had their heads shaved prior to basic training, or being 'scalped.' The Strength A term used by the Imperial Guard which refers to the multitude of hangers-on which a regiment gathers over the course of its service, so named as they give strength to the fighting men when not on campaign. Titan Enormous bipedal war machines employed by the Imperium, Chaos and several other factions. They are amongst the most powerful military units available to a ground commander. Rather than regiment, a group of Titans uses the term Legio or Legion. Tread A colloquialism referring to armoured vehicles, in particular tanks. Tread-Fether An Imperial Guard colloquialism for an anti-tank weapon, usually a missile launcher. The “tread” part comes from the fact that that armoured vehicles often employ some kind of track system, whilst “feth” is a common Guard insult. Valkyrie A type of airborne vehicle utilised by the Imperial Guard, similar in function, if not design, to a heavily-armed helicopter with transport capability. Vox A communications device extensively utilised by the Imperial Guard; similar to a radio set.